Consistency- Darkest Powers Chronicles
by Eletha Landon
Summary: All Derek wants is a little alone time with his wife. Is that so much to ask? Rated T for very suggested themes. Enjoy!


**Author's Note- Here's just a cute little drabble I thought of at work. When you sit in front of a computer for twelve hours a day, your mind tends to wander. This is set about two years after Something to Envy.**

**Enjoy!**

**Consistency**

I placed my keys quietly on the table in the entryway and moved down the hall. It was Thanksgiving and my students may be on break while the university was closed for the holiday, but there was a staff meeting that was called to order quite last minute. Something about midterm test answers being leaked and what was going to be done to resolve this issue… I couldn't care less.

I loosened my tie as I followed my nose towards the kitchen. Chloe stayed home to cook, taking charge of the mashed potatoes this year that we'd be taking down the path to Stonehaven for the holiday dinner. Jenni was already over there now, helping Antonio prepare the meal. A six year old was less likely to burn the dinner than Jeremy or the Danvers twins. Antonio's words.

I loved my daughter and I enjoyed the company of the Pack. But there was a reason why I asked Jeremy if we could build this house on his property. It took about a year after Jenni was born, but it was worth the effort when I got to raise my family in our own quiet, secluded place and I had these rare moments alone with Chloe.

I stood in the kitchen door, watching her as she stood over the sink facing away from me. There was a giant pot in the sink where she worked on obliterating her cooked potatoes with the potato masher. I could only imagine how much she was exerting herself seeing as she was mashing potatoes for the whole Pack and Clay and I had double teamed the batch last year, leaving scraps for everyone else. Every now and then she would release an audible huff as she worked the spuds. I wanted to laugh, but I held it back, deciding to sneak up on her instead.

Since we'd first started dating around fifteen years ago- and Chloe slowly but surely got used to ghosts popping up out of the blue- I made somewhat of a game trying to sneak up behind her. She'd always pretend to be mad and threaten to get me one of those collars with a bell… I guess I was seeing how far I could go before she actually followed through.

Soon enough, I was standing right behind her. I reached forward to wrap my arms around her, but she suddenly threw the potato masher into the pot and put her hands on her hips.

"Damn potatoes," She huffed, breathing slightly labored from all her hard work. So instead of trying to startle her, I ducked my head and kissed my favorite spot where her neck met her shoulder, placing my hands on the counter on either side of her.

Her shoulders slacked instantly and she murmured, "Hey."

"You could use a break," I rumbled against her skin. She made to turn around in the circle of my arms I caged her in. However, I pressed against her back, pinning her between me and the counter, trailing kisses up the length of her neck.

"Hey," She said again, only I could hear the smirk in her tone this time. "You should know that Tori's here."

"So?" I asked, lips brushing against her ear. I couldn't care less if Tori were to walk in right now. Maybe she'd be disgusted seeing her foster half-brother and friend in this compromising position and would quit inviting herself over to my house.

Chloe's breath hitched and she squirmed in which I figured she was trying to turn and meet my lips. I felt them curve, sensing victory-

"Aunt Lauren is here too."

My forehead dropped against Chloe's shoulder and an incoherent grumble of curses escaped my lips. Chloe laughed and I allowed her to turn around. She wrapped her arms around my torso and glanced up at me, a mischievous glint touching her eyes.

"_But_, Tori's in our room getting ready for dinner and Aunt Lauren is in the guest room on the phone with Meg."

I tilted my head to listen to the upstairs rooms in question. I had been so focused on Chloe that I had tuned out anything that wasn't her. Tori was moving around in me and Chloe's room, music blaring, singing along off key. And Lauren was in the guest room, double checking that Meg was coming to dinner. Lauren had all but adopted the girl two years ago after we rescued her from the Edison Group wannabees.

"That gives us a few minutes, I think." Chloe added, raising an eyebrow when I turned my attention back to her.

I hoisted her onto the counter, silencing her laugh with a lip bruising kiss. Her legs wrapped around my waist while my hands went to hers. I gripped her sides, pulling her closer despite our bodies already being entirely flushed against each other. Chloe tugged at my shirt, untucking it from my slacks. Her cool fingers grazed my stomach, tracing over the scar on my lower left abdomen. I wasn't sure why- and I sure as hell wasn't complaining- but she's been doing that since the day that scar started developing after being shot on our excursion to retrieve Meg.

Moving my lips to the sweet spot on her neck again, I slid my hands down Chloe's thighs and hiked up the skirt of her holiday dress. Her hands fumbled with my belt and the button of my slacks, her teeth toying with the top button of my shirt. A gasp, a laugh, a groan, a-

I stopped, hands flying to grab Chloe's that were at my waistband, head cocking to the side, listening. Lauren had stopped talking, the guest bed squeaking as she stood, and I heard the distinct _beep_ of the phone as she hit the 'End Call' button.

This time, my string of profanities had a little more passion than the half-assed ones I muttered a few minutes ago. I stepped away from Chloe, informing her that her aunt was coming downstairs and proceeded to fix my disheveled appearance. Chloe did the same- without nearly as much frustration as I had, if she possessed any at all- and adjusted her dress.

If anything was ever consistent in me and Chloe's less than normal lives, it was the never-ending stream of inescapable interruptions. In fact, it had almost become predictable since the moment I met Chloe that, if we were ever graced with a moment to ourselves, it was sure to be interrupted.

Was I being a bit overdramatic and perhaps exaggerating the situation? Yes. But even Chloe would admit that it happened quite a bit more than would be deemed normal.

Chloe finished adjusting and gave me an apologetic smile. She took a step towards me, pushed up onto her tiptoes and kissed my chin.

"Don't pout. Maybe we can ask Meg if she'd babysit Jenni tonight."

She turned back to her potatoes as Lauren walked in.

"Meg should be at Stonehaven in about twenty minutes. She's bringing Seth." Seth was another Supernatural we had plucked from the EG's clutches. He was a shaman and he and Meg had been dating for the last six months.

"Are we ready to head over?" Lauren asked after her announcement, glancing between me and Chloe. Her eyes zeroes in on me after a second and I bristled. Sure, Lauren and I… well, our relationship was better. She figured out years ago that Chloe wasn't letting me go, nor was I willing to go anywhere without a fight. And that's what we did. After five years of me kissing her ass, I finally confronted her about her disdain for me, that I didn't care whether she accepted me or not because that wasn't going to change the fact that I was the best thing for Chloe's future. Only I was capable of being by her side and protecting her whether she needed it or not.

And Lauren clung to that. She may seem to accept me as an important part of her niece's life, but she was known to jump sides. So I never kept my hopes up when it came to Lauren's acceptance of me.

She gave a disapproving look and heaved a heavy sigh.

"Honestly, Derek. Do you lecture your students looking like this?" She stepped in front of me and reached up to tighten my tie that Chloe had nearly ripped off of me minutes ago. I must have forgotten to straighten it out. My shoulders relaxed a bit and I shrugged.

"I loosened it when I got back. It's just tie."

"Regardless, you look like a disheveled sheep dog, what with your hair a mess and- did you even iron your shirt?"

_Actually I did. Why don't you ask your sweet, innocent little niece why I look like that guy in every sitcom ever made that just had sex in the copy room at work… I'm sure she'd love to explain that it was all her doing._

Chloe was doubled over in silent laughter behind her aunt. I glowered at her.

"You should really cut your hair, Derek," Lauren continued. "And shave."

Jesus, if I ever thought I was missing a motherly figure in my life I had been horribly mistaken.

When she finished fussing with me, she turned to Chloe to help her move the mashed potatoes from the pot to the serving bowl. Once her back was to me I quickly loosened my tie again, catching Chloe's smirk and giving her a role of my eyes in return.

About ten minutes later, Tori called down the stairs that she'd meet us outside. Lauren stepped out onto the porch and I held Chloe back for a moment.

"I don't want Meg to babysit tonight. It's Thanksgiving. I want to spend it with Jenni."

Chloe smiled.

"Alright, rain check then."

She stood on her toes again and I ducked my head to meet her halfway. Her breath fanned across my lips and-

"Ew. I get that this is your house, but at least have the courtesy to wait for me to leave before you two start sucking face."

Tori brushed past us in the entryway, giving me a bored expression then tossing Chloe a smirk. Chloe, being the good-natured person that she was, laughed and followed Tori outside. I, however, swallowed a growl.

"Goddamn it."

**Eh, really choppy and quick-paced. But I needed to give you guys something while you wait for me to get a move on with Forbidden. Chapter 27 is already finished and I've written out about half of chapter 28. It's chapter 26 I'm having issues with… On the bright side, once I finally get it out, I'll already have two chapters ready to go! :)**

**Let me know what you guys think! **


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